She's concerned that people will bring knives onto planes and attempt a hijack by killing passengers and crew members. First off, plenty of sharp objects make it onto planes; if someone wanted to harm or kill another passenger there are other ways to do it (maybe not as quick?), and finally if they did get control of the plane, you're going to die anyway, so really what does she expect? Note the invented quote she says "takes you hostage" and neglects the means or threat involved.

More hysterics from people who can't handle trivial (if depressing) logic. I can't wait until they raise the liquid limit to 3/4 of a liter and people cry out how this will allow people to carry water bottle they purchased in the airport (as noted below...) onto a plane and how dire a threat it is to their safety. Someone could *drown* with that much water!

Panickd wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 15:30:You do realize that they're not letting every type of pocket knife on planes, right? "Small knives with non-locking blades smaller than 2.36 inches and less than 1/2 inch in width." A box cutter is a shitload sharper than any pocket knife of that specification will ever be.

I know. You also don't need a box cutter's sharpness to cut someone's throat.

All I'm saying is, if they're going back to allowing small knives onboard planes, they better stop with the fucking horseshit of "Oh, you can't bring your BOTTLE OF FUCKING WATER THAT YOU BOUGHT FOR NINE BUCKS AT THE AIRPORT onboard."

Panickd wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 11:26:I'm sure they realized that no one in the history of the world has ever been stabbed to death with a dull swiss army knife

The 9/11 guys didn't stab anyone to death with their box cutters either, but they did apparently slit quite a few throats. Something which a sharp pocket knife is eminently capable of...

Creston

You do realize that they're not letting every type of pocket knife on planes, right? "Small knives with non-locking blades smaller than 2.36 inches and less than 1/2 inch in width." A box cutter is a shitload sharper than any pocket knife of that specification will ever be. The whole reason the hijackers were able to take over planes with box cutters instead of guns in the first place was because they claimed to have rigged bombs on board the flights they were on, otherwise I'm sure they would have had the crap kicked out of them (and if anyone tried that same tactic again, I doubt it would go down the same way). Anyone stupid enough to attempt anything with a pocket knife of any sharpness on a flight today will either be incapacitated by the passengers or shot by an air marshal.

It definitely sounds like one of those things reported in utter confusion when no one knew anything that then stops being reported when things get cleared up a bit but gets used infinitely by conspiracy theorists as disappearing from the news due to a government cover-up.

Not saying that's how it reappeared here, just that it does sound more like sensationalism due to confusion (and that those poor journalism errors lead to conspiracy theorist goldmines.)

Someone Google it, but I'm very doubtful it's true. I'm pretty sure the passengers sat there doing nothing because they felt they had a lot to lose, e.g., expected that a ransom would be paid and they'd be reuinted with their loved ones within a matter of hours (with a killer story to tell at work the next week!)

Bill Borre wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 12:53:The story doesn't sound plausible. For one thing, prior to 9/11, getting through that door probably would not have posed much challenge. For another, systematically murdering the crew would likely incense the passengers.

The most rational thing for the terrorists to have done would have been to simply lie to everyone that they were hijacking the plane. "Everyone stay calm and no one will get hurt." The passengers literally would not know what hit them until they slammed into the concrete and steel of the tower.

I'm not making it up, Bill. It was reported at the time. Whether it was true, I don't know—I'm not an investigator nor am I Nostradamus.

And it's hard to say "We're hijacking the plane" if you can't get into the cockpit.

Creston

As Bill said, the cockpit wasn't kept so secure until the 9/11 attacks. Also, even if they were locked out, prior to 9/11 the expectation of a hijacking was redirection of the flight and a hostage situation; threatening to kill passengers unless demands were met would have been more effective then than now.

Bill Borre wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 12:53:The story doesn't sound plausible. For one thing, prior to 9/11, getting through that door probably would not have posed much challenge. For another, systematically murdering the crew would likely incense the passengers.

The most rational thing for the terrorists to have done would have been to simply lie to everyone that they were hijacking the plane. "Everyone stay calm and no one will get hurt." The passengers literally would not know what hit them until they slammed into the concrete and steel of the tower.

I'm not making it up, Bill. It was reported at the time. Whether it was true, I don't know—I'm not an investigator nor am I Nostradamus.

And it's hard to say "We're hijacking the plane" if you can't get into the cockpit.

Bill Borre wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 12:53:The story doesn't sound plausible. For one thing, prior to 9/11, getting through that door probably would not have posed much challenge. For another, systematically murdering the crew would likely incense the passengers.

The most rational thing for the terrorists to have done would have been to simply lie to everyone that they were hijacking the plane. "Everyone stay calm and no one will get hurt." The passengers literally would not know what hit them until they slammed into the concrete and steel of the tower.

There's a lot of conflicting reports. Some reports of box cutters, stabbings, etc... from passengers and flight attendants on cell phones before the crashes reported things like that. There were also reports of chemical sprays and claims of a bomb.

But still, the TSA is just security theater.

As weapons go, a box cutter is much more plausible than a Swiss army knife. If you can kill someone with a pocket knife you can probably do it with your bare hands, too. I mean, if you click on that link and look at the knife at the maximum length & width, it looks a lot less threatening than bludgeoning someone with random luggage.

The outrage just seems kind misplaced. The shampoo (and other liquids) thing is because it's too easy to hide a liquid explosive or detonator, right? It doesn't seem that unreasonable.

Creston wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 10:43:The guys who make up this TSA bullshit are 100% wasted money. If we really wanted to cut the damn budget, we'd start there.

Creston

Creston, you do realize that this is a vicious circle right? Gov. cuts jobs; Gov. does not make Tax money because people are not working. When people are not working, there’s no tax money to hire people to work. This is a no win situation anyway you look at it.

This is the crap that really pisses me off to no end in this country when it comes to corporate America and their obsession with outsourcing jobs to other countries. If no one’s working, there no Tax money being generated because people are not buying anything. totally ass stupid that the Gov. does not crack down on Corporations and bring the work back home.

Bill Borre wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 12:53:The story doesn't sound plausible. For one thing, prior to 9/11, getting through that door probably would not have posed much challenge. For another, systematically murdering the crew would likely incense the passengers.

The most rational thing for the terrorists to have done would have been to simply lie to everyone that they were hijacking the plane. "Everyone stay calm and no one will get hurt." The passengers literally would not know what hit them until they slammed into the concrete and steel of the tower.

There's a lot of conflicting reports. Some reports of box cutters, stabbings, etc... from passengers and flight attendants on cell phones before the crashes reported things like that. There were also reports of chemical sprays and claims of a bomb.

The story doesn't sound plausible. For one thing, prior to 9/11, getting through that door probably would not have posed much challenge. For another, systematically murdering the crew would likely incense the passengers.

The most rational thing for the terrorists to have done would have been to simply lie to everyone that they were hijacking the plane. "Everyone stay calm and no one will get hurt." The passengers literally would not know what hit them until they slammed into the concrete and steel of the tower.

Creston wrote on Mar 6, 2013, 10:43:Pocket knives? I can't bring a fucking bottle of shampoo on board a plane, but a fucking POCKET KNIFE is now going to be okay?

The guys who make up this TSA bullshit are 100% wasted money. If we really wanted to cut the damn budget, we'd start there.

Creston

Something in the neighborhood of 400 pounds of pocket/swiss army knives are confiscated by the TSA on a daily basis. I'm sure they realized that no one in the history of the world has ever been stabbed to death with a dull swiss army knife and thought their attention would be better spent stopping the guy who thought it was OK to bring a paper weight shaped like a hand grenade onto a plane in his carry on.

That being said, the TSA is the sole reason I don't fly public air transport at all in the US if I can possibly avoid it. Turning what used to be a minor pain in the ass into a three finger prostate exam for no discernible security benefit seems like a losing bet to me.